


Apple Of His Eye

by FanficLuver



Series: Loki and Dira [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgardian Loki (Marvel), F/M, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki a is a bit useless, Loki does not know he is Jotunn, Loki is actually a prince, Major Original Character(s), Mature for innuendos and possible later scenes, Odin is still mean, Pre-Thor (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:29:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23584651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanficLuver/pseuds/FanficLuver
Summary: Loki has a new, interesting personal servant.This was supposed to be a quarantine oneshot. :/
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Asfridira Bergströmdotter | Dira, Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Loki and Dira [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705492
Comments: 14
Kudos: 64





	1. Storming Down the Hallway is My Brother's Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki finds his life gets a bit more complicated when someone new turns up.

Loki pulled to a full halt in the corridor, causing the poor head housekeeper - who had previously been half-running - to stumble a few steps ahead, before turning back to him. 

“If she is _competent_ ,” He growled, “Then there should be no reason I would need to be _kind_ , is there?”

“Ah well yes sire, of course.” The head housekeeper somehow managed to say steadily, unused to the full force of the prince’s stare. “Though again I must stress -”

Loki practically growled as he began to move again, stalking down the hall at an even faster speed than before. “If she does her _job_ then there is no issue. If she cannot - I will not hesitate to find someone else who is capable of finding someone who can. Am I understood?”

“Yes, sire.” The head housekeeper stopped and bowed to the prince’s retreating back. _This is not going to go well_.

~*~*~*~

Loki braced himself as he stormed towards his rooms. This was his fourth personal servant in as many weeks. _What disaster awaits me this time,_ he thought, slowing his pace as he rounded the corner to the hall his room was in. The two guards outside were still as statues, as usual, but between them stood what he assumed to be his new servant. _A marked improvement from the last_. The woman who served him before had thought it appropriate to enter his rooms unaccompanied and without permission - on multiple occasions. He fired her when he found her lurking around his bookshelves under the pretense of dusting without a rag. 

He stopped before his door, and the woman dipped into a shallow curtsy. 

“Your Highness.” She said primly.

Loki hummed quietly. _Respectful._ The servant before the snoop called him Loki plainly to his face, and the one before her shook so hard whenever he was near that his _own_ teeth chattered. Not even a minute in and he was realizing how pathetic the last three had been. _Good, I wasn’t looking forward to firing the head housekeeper. Mother is fond of her._

The girl kept her eyes downcast, and her hands folded in front of her. Loki gave her a quick once over, then pushed into his room. “Follow.”

~*~*~*~

Loki sat in his personal study a few weeks later, a book in his hands that he wasn't reading, lost in thoughts of his latest spell attempts to make a double that was semi-conscious so he could send it off to meetings he didn’t want to attend, when a knock resounded through his rooms. 

“Get that, would you.” He waved to the girl who had somehow not messed up enough to be sent away yet. There was something different about her that he had yet to put a finger on, but she’d done exceptionally well as a servant, so he was content to let the mystery lie.

She curtsied and left the study quickly. Looking at the door after her, he realized quite suddenly that he was _not_ , in fact, content with letting the mystery lie. He snapped the book shut as the door to his study reopened, and the girl - Odin’s beard he didn’t even know her _name_ \- reentered. 

“The Crown Prince is in the sitting room, Your Highness. Would you like me to bring him here?” She asked. 

“Please,” he said, “Then you may take your lunch.”

Her eyes widened slightly at his odd surge of kindness, but she curtsied as usual before slipping out to retrieve the prince.

~*~*~*~

“Girl.” Loki called out harshly. She turned, a half step away from the bathroom door, the flinch at his tone suppressed but not invisible. An odd spike of guilt poked at his left breast. He had sent her to clean the bathroom top to bottom because her mystery was distracting him from the work he needed to be doing. “What is your name?” He asked in a slightly nicer tone. He knew the answer already, as he had been asking about her at any inconspicuous time that he could. He found out nothing of value, and her story was as bland and average as the servants clothing she wore. Internally, he wrinkled his nose. She would look better in green. 

“Asfridira, Your Highness.” She replied cautiously. She hesitated for a moment, and Loki watched quite a large battle rage behind her eyes before she lifted her chin just a bit. “But I prefer just Dira.” 

Loki could not help the slight upturn of his lips. _That_ he did not know. “As you were.” He hesitated just as she did. “Dira,” he added, low and slow, savoring the familiarity of the nickname. She curtsied politely, and shuffled into the bathroom. 

~*~*~*~

“Hand me the tax refunds for the Gallenar family would you Dira?” Loki asked, reaching out over his shoulder in her direction. “These numbers aren’t adding up.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She said, slipping papers out of a series of shelves, all lined with various stacks. “This quarter or last?” 

Loki frowned. “Why in the 9 realms would I want the Gallenar family tax refunds for _last_ quarter?” he jeered. 

“You’re looking at last quarter’s income taxes, Your Highness.” She said, somehow making a somewhat condescending jab at his attention to detail sound subservient. 

“Ah.” Loki glanced down at the correct sheet below the one he was holding. “I won’t be needing the returns then.” He absentmindedly held up the incorrect sheet. “File this away and then you can take the rest of the day to yourself.” 

She slipped the paper from his hand. “Are you sure, Your Highness? It is… early still.”

“Must you question everything I say? I am doing nothing more than this, and I can certainly handle it on my own.” He snapped. _Good job looking like_ more _of a fool._

“Of course, Your Highness.” Dira bowed politely.

He caught her right before the door again. “Asfridira.” 

“Yes, Your Highness?” she turned back to face him.

“From now on you will call me sire or My Prince. You sound like a common maid when you address me.” This time he could see the tinge of blush on her cheeks before she curtsied.

“As you wish… My Prince.” The conscious thought behind it was obvious, but the increasing redness on her cheeks was even more so.

“That is all, Dira.” he waved dismissively. 

“Enjoy your evening.” He said, after the door was shut. 

~*~*~*~

“Odin's _beard_ ,” Loki seethed at the servant girl who had handed him the wrong paper for the _third_ time, “ _where_ is Asfridira?” 

“Loki,” Frigga said, tone warning him that while he was a prince he was still at the table with his family. 

“The imports from _Vanaheim.”_ Loki forced through clenched teeth. “ _Vanaheim._ Can you not _read_?”

“Sigrid.” Frigga called, waving over an older servant who had been standing with others behind her. 

“Yes, My Queen?” Sigrid said, stepping up.

“Please find out what happened to that girl -”

“Asfridira.” Loki cut in.

“Asfridira.” Frigga finished, shooting a look at her son. 

“My Queen” came a voice from the line of women Sigrid had moved from. “I moved Di- Asfridira to the infirmary last night. She was quite ill.”

Loki stood abruptly at that, his chair protesting loudly against the floor. “Dismissed.” He told the woman who had been making a poor attempt to help him that day. He took all his papers from her arms and added them to the stack on the table before lifting the whole pile and moving for the door. 

“Loki,” Frigga said again, standing.

But Loki was already half out the door. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he got to the infirmary, but he could not stand that bumbling servant for another second.

“He’s going to fall apart once that poor woman’s gone.” Frigga said quietly to herself.

Thor made a questioning noise, his mouth full of the breakfast that no one else seemed to be eating.

~*~*~*~

“What do you mean she’s ‘ _just sick’_?” Loki pressed, the unconscious Dira next to him not stirring even at his volume.

“If I may speak freely, Your Highness.” The medic asked.

“Yes, yes,” Loki waved. “Just tell me what’s _wrong_.”

“She is overworked.” 

Loki pinned the man with a cold stare, rising to his full height.

“I’m not suggesting in any way that it is _your_ fault, Your Majesty.” He stuttered, putting up his hands, “I have heard from the other women that her father is injured and that she leaves nearly every night to tend to him. She doesn’t arrive back until very early most nights. The work some women do in the palace during the day can cause them to end up here - add nightly trips across the city and I’m surprised someone like her didn’t end up here sooner.”

“And what,” Loki hissed, “Is the cure to what ails her?”

“Rest.” The medic answered plainly. “And to reduce or stop these nightly trips. By all accounts she’s half dead.” He looks down at the paper on the clipboard he’s holding. “It looks like she’s probably been skipping meals as well. The woman who brought her down here said she was dizzy and feverish. My guess is she skipped one too many.” 

“How long will he be here? When can she return to my service?” 

The medic looked down at Dira. “She does not have to stay here, but she must rest. Three days under supervision is my prescription. No physical labor and no leaving the grounds to go do whatever she does. I am quite serious in saying she needs to rest.”

Loki frowned down at her. 

“Have her moved to my chambers. I will question her when she wakes.” And without waiting for a response, Loki swept out of the room. 

~*~*~*~

Only mild panic bubbled in Dira’s chest when she awoke in surroundings she didn't recognize. The extreme panic bubbled up when she _did_ recognize where she was. Her struggle to fly out of the prince’s bed was hampered by the mountain of blankets and furs she was tucked under.

“Calm yourself Dira.” Came Loki's voice. He was sitting in an armchair with a book open on his lap facing her. The fire next to him lit his face in a dark way. 

“Your Hi- My Prince, I -” 

Loki simply put a hand up to silence her. Closing the book, he stood turning to look down at the fire. 

“I don’t know how I got here.” Dira rushed. “My Prince.”

He looked up at her. “I put you there.” He simply said. 

Though she tried to keep it off her face, the confusion in her eyes was evident. 

“Tell me, Asfridira,” Loki said calmly, “Where do you go at night?”

Dira’s back straightened marginally. Loki supposed that her little trips were not supposed to be common knowledge. “My father’s house, My Prince.” She answered.

“Why?”

“He cannot care for himself, My prince. I am tasked with it.” 

“Please,” Loki murmured, walking forward, “Drop the formality for a moment. It grates on my nerves.” He stopped at the edge of the bed, Dira still a few feet away at the center. “Why do you not task another with this? You have a job already.”

“It is…” She looked down at the furs, petting one slightly. Loki’s eyes followed her hand. “It is a punishment.”

“For what? From who?” Loki could hardly imagine what an obedient girl like her could have done to force her to work two jobs.

She hesitated again, still petting. “My father’s wrongdoings. From The Allfather himself.”

Loki’s eyes flicked back to her’s, but they were still downcast. 

“What happened?” Loki whispered.

She pressed her lips together. “I am forbidden to speak of it.” She replied quietly. 

Loki straightened. _Fair enough, father, I'll ask you myself._ “The medic ordered 3 days of rest. You will spend them here where you are still of at least some use to me. And Dira,” He reached out and grabbed her chin, tilting it up to look at him. “You are forbidden to skip meals ever again. If I hear that you did not show up for one meal, you will eat every single one under my supervision.” He released her chin. “And I will let _you_ speak when the lords and ladies of the court ask why I am missing for hours on end.” 

“Yes, My Prince.” Dira replied shakily, bowing her head. 

“Rest.” Said Loki, “I will be back soon enough. You had best be asleep.”

~*~*~*~

Loki stormed into the throne room better than his brother probably could.

“Allfather.” The title echoed around the empty room.

“Loki.” Odin returned.

“Asfridira Bergströmdotter.”

Odin’s one good eye narrowed. “The mortal.”

_Mortal._ Loki remembered how the medic had referred to her. ‘ _Someone like her_ ’. That was what was different about her. The faint aura of magic present around every upper class Asgardian citizen. _But she is past old enough to have received an apple. Even the servants receive them - that's why a job here is so valuable._

“Forbidden to speak of her own plight to even her Prince.”

Odin merely hummed.

“I did find out though, that she is not being punished for her own actions.”

“Yes.” Odin replied, standing. “Her father was found to be stealing from me.”

“And _she_ is punished for that?”

Odin leaned against his staff. “He was taking apples.” 

Loki stiffened at that. Taking the apples of immortality? He should have been executed. 

“Selling them off to the highest bidder.” Odin continued. “After heavily interrogating his daughter, I found she knew of his thievery, but not of what nature. He somehow convinced her that he was stealing regular apples.” Odin walked a few steps down the dias. “Regardless, they were both guilty, and I punished them both. For the thievery, I confined the father to his house, to never again near the apples. For her compliance with thievery, no matter how petty, I named her sole caretaker.”

“But why is she mortal? She works at the palace it makes no -”

“Quiet, boy. I am not done with the charges.” Odin chided. “For the unlawful distribution of immortality to unworthy recipients, execution would not hurt him. Nor would exile. He is already a wealthy man. But one thing he does love and can lose, is his daughter.” Odin looked down at Loki. “And so the price he will pay for giving something that was not his to give, is to watch his only daughter die of something he gave the cure to away.”


	2. Compulsory Name-Dropping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki now knows the truth about Dira... how will things change?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has gotten so out of hand in like, the best way. Unintentional multichapter fic here we come!!!!

Loki fumed as he stormed down the corridor to his room. He threw open the door to his rooms with as much force as he could muster, and nearly slammed them shut with just as much force before remembering the woman he was so angry over. 

Slipping into his bedchamber, he magically added a little more wood to the fire. 

He looked down at the small, sleeping woman in his bed. She was small for an Asgardian, but the bed dwarfed her. Knowing the truth of her mortality only made her seem even smaller.

“Your father is the guilty man and yet you are the one who dies.” He murmured, pulling the furs up a little higher. 

She hummed a bit and a bolt of panic shot through Loki. Did he wake her? But she relaxed again, and Loki brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

He had never seen her with a hair out of place before.  _ How did she wake up every morning, knowing that she was getting closer and closer to the end, and still serve him with the grace and poise of someone who has an eternity? How could she have devoted her short little life to scrubbing his bathroom? How could she slip away to her father’s home every night, knowing that he was the reason that she was not living her life the way she deserved? _ Loki frowned. If it was him, he would have left the old man to rot the day Odin charged him with his care.  _ You, Dira, are an infinitely better person than I am, though I will never admit it aloud.  _

~*~*~*~

“A package for you, My Prince.” Dira entered the study holding a large box.

Loki scowled. “Put that down. I gave you leave to walk about because your fidgeting was driving me mad _ ,  _ and I  _ graciously _ allowed you to  _ open  _ the door. I did  _ not _ allow you to carry any packages.”

Dira hastily put down the box on a side table. “Apologies, My Prince.” 

“Back to bed with you.” Loki ordered.

Dira opened her mouth as if on instinct to protest before thinking better of it and closing it, but not before Loki noticed. 

“Do you have an objection, Miss Asfridira?” Loki taunted.

“I-” Dira frowned slightly, and the urge to simply hold her face was so foreign and overwhelming that Loki dropped his quill. 

“No, My Prince, but my father has not been checked on in many days. Will I be permitted to see him tonight?”

Loki stood and stepped around his desk to her. “Your father is a man that I would want to kill slowly with my bare hands.” Her brows creased at that. His thumb came up and rubbed at it before he could stop himself. He used the chance to grab her by the top of the head and spin her around. “Off to bed with you now. And if I find you walking about again I will chain you to it.”

Dira slipped out the door to the study and leaned against it once it was closed. 

_ Get your mind out of the gutter.  _ They thought simultaneously. 

~*~*~*~

“Here.” Loki said, throwing something at her as he walked in the door.

“My prince. please, I already have enough blankets.” Dira said, pulling the fabric off her head where it had landed and sitting up. 

“It’s not a blanket, it’s your new uniform. You’re my personal servant and you look like every other servant in the castle.” He said with some disgust, grabbing the small shovel next to the fireplace and beginning to bank it. “Your bed rest ends tomorrow, but you’ll make up for it the day after. I can’t stand having that incompitent woman hold my papers any longer. She always hands me the wrong one.” He stood, straightening and stretching his back. “Get dressed, we have a meeting with Thor and some lords in 5 minutes.” And then out of the room he went. 

Dira looked down at the emerald green dress in her hands. The material was fine, and the cut was fashionable. She wouldn't object though, anything other than the hot, scratchy material of the standard servants outfit was a gift worth keeping. 

~*~*~*~

Loki regretted giving Dira the gown. Well, mostly regretted it. The reasons to regret it far outweighed the reasons not to, namely the lord of the second most important house in Asgard loudly declaring that it was not appropriate for him to bring his  _ whore _ with him to a meeting about domestic affairs. Dira did turn a delightful shade of pink, but Loki shot him the dirtiest look he could muster and reminded him that forgetting the face of his personal assistant, and then  _ insulting _ her, is not a good way to get into the good graces of someone handling your proof of debt payment papers. The lord turned a nice shade of pink then. 

Dira handled the stares of the entire council well, but Loki got slowly more and more irritated. After he had to call a lord’s name for a second time, Loki decided no more work was getting done with the dogs drooling after a bone that was clearly wrapped up in a green bow that said  _ Loki _ . At least Thor was ever the gentleman, although when Dira quietly said “My Prince” to call his attention and Thor turned as well, it planted a strange little seed in his mind. 

The reason to not regret the gown was that he got to look at her too - though he hardly let that thought slip past his subconscious. 

~*~*~*~

“My Prince, a -” Dira began, entering the room holding a box.

“Yes about that.” Loki said, not looking up.

She stared for a second, caught by surprise. “About… what, my prince? The package?”

“Hmm?” he said, finally looking up. “Ah, no. I’d like you to address me as ‘Prince Loki’ from now on. If you feel you’re being too repetitive, you may call me sire, but don’t think of using that as a workaround.”

Dira sputtered in the doorway. “But My Prince! That is far too informal for a  _ servant _ ! I could-”

“Ah ah ah. You should listen better at meetings Dira, you’ve been promoted to personal assistant.”

“My Prince, I must -” 

He pinned her with a narrow stare. “Every time you use the incorrect title adds a day to your bed rest. You’re at two extra currently. Now put down that box. You may as well open it since you’re breaking all the rules. It’s for you anyway.” He looked back down at his papers.

Dira stood there with box in hand and cheeks flaming for a few moments before placing it on an end table. Loki peeked up. He wanted to see her face. 

Dira flipped open the lid of the box, and her eyebrows scrunched together. Loki wanted to rub the lines away again, and so he quickly looked back down to his work.

He heard the inhale of breath a few seconds before she actually spoke.

“Prince… Loki?” she sounded physically pained saying his name aloud, but Loki was hit with a vision of her saying his name with a different kind of tightness to it. 

He looked up again, trying to shake out an image he should  _ not  _ have in his head. “Yes ,Dira?” he drawled, trying to cover for the fact that his mind had gone completely blank.

“Is this… a comb?” She held up the glittering gold hair comb, and the emeralds inlaid in it caught the light, “To be used?

“Yes.” he said, then, deciding to tease her, “Have you never seen one before?”

She frowned at him. “Not one like this. Surely this is not for me.”

“Of course it is.” he waved a hand, “the ladies in court wear more ostentatious things than that on the daily.”

“The ladies of  _ court,  _ My Prince.” __

“Ah! Three more days!” He smiled, looking back down at his work. 

He heard her light huff of annoyance and grinned internally. “Alright. Back to bed with you. Wear the comb tomorrow.”

He heard her huff once more, then the sounds of her skirts as she stood and curtsied. She forwent her usual farewell of ‘My Prince’.  _ She’ll get used to it. _

~*~*~*~

“Pardon the intrusion Prince...Prince Loki.” 

Loki looked up to see a quite bashful looking Dira standing in the doorway of his study. “Yes?” 

“I have slept through breakfast, sire.”

Loki smirked at that, internally cheering just a bit. “I’m glad you’re taking my threats seriously. Go ask one of the guards to stop the next servant to bring up some breakfast.”

“I can get breakfast myself Prince Loki.” She said, determined to leave the room and do something useful.

“I think not. You have another day of rest. Ask the guard then back to bed.”

She took a brave step forward. “Please, Prince Loki. I’ll bring the cart.”

Loki looked her up and down, and a little thought popped into his head. “Fine. But only with the cart. No carrying.”

She dipped into a deep curtsy. “Thank you, My Prince. Prince Loki. Prince Loki.” 

He grinned wolfishly at her. “Another day.”

~*~*~*~

Loki heard the main door to his rooms close rather loudly only a few minutes after she left and smirked. 

He looked up when the door to his study opened. 

“They kicked me out!” Dira fumed. “They called me a lady and kicked me out!” 

Loki tried his hardest not to laugh. “Sit,  _ Lady Asfridira _ . If you must do something, help me with these property claims while breakfast arrives.”

~*~*~*~

“Prince Loki.” Dira called from the bed.

Loki hummed from his spot crouched in front of the fire.

“If I’m sleeping here,” She hesitated, trying to pick her words carefully. “where are you sleeping?”

“On one of the couches in the study.” He said, like it was obvious and normal for a prince to be sleeping on a couch. 

At her silence, Loki looked up from the fire to see an extremely scandalized Dira frozen in shock. He couldn't help the belly laugh that had him rocking back on his heels as she sputtered. 

She eventually snapped out of it and began trying to climb out of the bed, rambling about how it wasn’t decent for a prince to be sleeping on a couch when she, a mere servant, took the big bed. He stood from the fire and called upon a bit of illusionary magic. When she finally looked up at him, half off the bed already, she very quickly turned the color of the fire he had been tending. 

“One more day,” He said as she pulled her wayward leg back onto the bed.

“One more day,” she echoed quietly to herself. How she was going to sleep with the image of a firelit prince holding chains he intended to tie her to the bed with she had no idea.

~*~*~*~

“One of the ladies complimented your comb at lunch today, Prince Loki.” Dira said, floating in the door to the study.

“Your comb,” he corrected, “And it is quite pretty. That’s why I picked it.” 

Dira looked quite stricken for a moment, hand flying to her hair. “Prince Loki, this comb is worth more than my  _ life. _ ”

Loki’s face darkened. “It is  _ yours  _ Asfridira. And you are worth much more than a lump of metal and rock. You will say nothing of the like again. Now, come organize this pile of contracts. I cannot for the life of me figure out how you do it.”

~*~*~*~

“Dira! Grab the shipping logs for the  _ Longarmen  _ as well, would you?” Loki called into the other room.

“Got them already, Prince Loki,” She replied, flying into the room with ams full of scrolls and papers, “Along with the  _ Miriadre  _ and the  _ Halrott.  _ You said Lord Einar would be there yes?”

Loki stopped what he was doing for a moment to look at her. In a rare moment of tenderness, he asked, “What would I do without you?”

Dira didn’t even look up. “Be late for a meeting you forgot about. I’m managing your calendar from now on, Prince Loki.” 

~*~*~*~

“You’ve been awful quiet about your father these last two weeks.” Loki broached.

Dira stayed silent.

“Dira?”

“I’ve… renounced him. Sire.” She replied shakily, not looking up from the document she was transcribing.

Loki narrowed his eyes. “Against the wishes of the Allfather?”

Dira stayed silent again, but this time her quill stopped moving.

“How long have you been going to see him?” Loki hissed.

“Two days.”

Loki glanced back down at his papers.

“Two days after I saw the medics.”

Loki’s head snapped up. “You were on medical leave bed rest!” 

“For calling you ‘My Prince’ instead of ‘Prince Loki’! My father needs me!”

“Your father threw you to the wolves to save his own skin!”

“How could you say such a thing!” She was shouting now, uncaring that he was her prince. He would not speak about her father that way. 

“Odin lied to us both.” Loki snarled.

Some of the anger dropped off her face. “What?”

“Come with me.” He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out the door.

~*~*~*~

Silent tears slipped down her face as she read the court reports. 

_ Bergström son of Bergtön, you are given the generosity of a choice. For your crimes you may forfeit your immortality yourself, or as the head of your family, choose a willing recipient to bear the price for you.  _

She flipped the page.

_ I would do anything for my father, please, I’m all he has! _

“Why…”

“Your father was selling them to political allies. People Odin couldn’t in good faith gift them to himself, but people he needed on his side. When your father was caught, he couldn’t cover it up but he couldn’t put him out of commission.” Loki’s arms snaked around her shoulders as she flipped to another page in the records. 

_ My daughter will bear my price. _

She cried into Loki’s chest for longer than she would like to admit that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to cloudfree for bein' my beta


	3. Thor Becomes a Speaking Role

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Asgardian bomb has been dropped, if they have bombs in Asgard. What will our poor hero and heroine do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I really thought this was going to be a short fic. Anyway, I'm sorry in advance, but I promise it will be ok.

Dira had been staring blankly at the wall for a number of minutes. She didn’t see her father last night. She slept in Loki’s bed again after crying herself to sleep in one of the armchairs in the study. Loki had watched her all night. Even now, he took the few moments before he called out to her to study her face.  _ This is becoming a problem. _

He cleared his throat. “Dira?” 

“Hmm?” Dira didn’t look away from the wall.

“Dira.” he said, with slightly more force.

Her head snapped to him then. “Yes, Prince Loki?” 

“What were you thinking about?” 

Her eyes dropped.  _ Her father then. _

“My father, Prince Loki.” She hesitated for a moment. 

_ What more would it take for her to not second guess herself with me?  _ He blamed his uncontrollable thoughts on his lack of sleep. 

“I am under the Allfather’s orders to care for him.” She put the quill she hadn’t used in a while down and straightened, meeting his eyes. “I no longer wish to do so.”

Loki couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his face.

Dira soured a bit. “That does not mean I wish him dead. I simply do not want to see him again.” 

The line between her brows was back. His thumb itched.  _ This is a serious conversation, Loki,  _ he chided himself,  _ pull it together.  _

“I will speak with my father when I can.” 

Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. “Prince Loki! You cannot address the Allfather because of me! It is my punishment!”

“You are guilty of nothing.” he stated.

“I  _ knew _ of his thievery and did not stop him!” she hissed. 

Loki dropped his voice. “You thought your father was taking home two apples every other day. Two apples that we  _ give,  _ for  _ free,  _ at  _ every servant lunch. _ ”

Her eyebrows scrunched together again, and he gave in to the itch in his thumb, softening his voice. “I was planning on getting you an apple anyway, even if I had to steal it myself. This is just the first step.” Her mouth dropped open at that and he moved his hand down to her jaw to close it. “All this talk of apples is making me hungry for lunch. Come.”

~*~*~*~

“Dira.” 

Loki and Thor had come back from Volstagg’s birthday party piss drunk, stumbling into Loki’s chambers to get even more drunk. Thor had succeeded at the cost of his consciousness, and was passed out on one of the sitting room couches.

“ _ Dira, Dira, Dira, Dira, Dira _ .” Loki babbled.

Dira had been at the party, and had received a number of odd glances standing against the wall. She was even asked to dance by a mildly intoxicated lord, but she turned him down politely when she saw Loki staring at her out of the corner of her eye. She had followed Loki and his brother back to his rooms and stood against the wall as they continued to drink just as awkwardly as she had in the main hall. Technically, she couldn’t leave until she was dismissed, but as the night wore on she wasn't sure if a proper dismissal would ever come. 

“Asfridiiiiiiiiiiiiiira.” Loki played with her name.

“Yes, Prince Loki?” She did not move from her spot on the wall.

“Dira. Your name sounds like Dear. Dear-a. But with an attitude. That's what you are. Dear with an attitude.” He slurred slightly. He was sitting in one of the armchairs, legs over one arm and head over another. He turned to look at her then, half upside down. 

“Glad to know I’m a sassy midgardian forest animal to you, Prince Loki.” Dira deadpanned.

“No no no no no.” Loki suddenly looked quite panicked, and flipped over in the armchair to what looked like a quite uncomfortable position. “Dear-a. D-e-a-r-a.” He spelled. “You’re dear to me.” His falce slid into a suspicious frown. “What did Lord Hroarr say to you?”

Dira turned a bright shade of pink. “He-. He asked me to dance.” 

Loki pushed his face into the armrest. “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

“W-would you like a glass of water, Prince Loki?” She stuttered.

He pulled his face back from the upholstery frowning. “Always so uptight and proper. Prince Prince Prince.” He looked over at his empty glass on the table. “I don’t feel much like a prince at the moment.” He turned back to her, smirk on his face and eyebrows wiggling. “Though I know a way to relax you.”

Dira turned an even deeper shade of red, and Loki let out a few deep, throaty laughs. He tried to get up then, but from his odd position in the chair he only ended up face down on the floor.

“Prince Loki?” Dira wasn’t sure if she should help him up or laugh. “Do you need help?”

He muttered something that sounded vaguely like ‘put a different type o’ stick up there’ and then groaned loudly. “No. But I’ll take that water.”

~*~*~*~

“Allfather.” Loki’s voice echoed in the empty throne room.

“Loki.” 

“I’ve come to plead the case of Asfridira Bergströmdotter.”

The allfather narrowed his eye. This was becoming a familiar dance.

“I told you before, the girl and her father pay the price for theft.”

“You hadn’t even charged the girl with anything! Her father handed off his death sentence!” Loki needed to watch his emotions. His father could dismiss him and fire Dira with a wave of his hand. 

“Since when do you care for the justice of the court?” Odin stood. “Will you question all our laws and my decisions?”

“An innocent girl is dying. One of  _ our  _ people.” Loki grit.

“Do you mourn every peasant to die of the life they were born with? My ruling is final, Loki. She will be gone and passed from memory before you can miss her. This discussion is over. You are dismissed.”

~*~*~*~

“A package, Prince Loki.” Dira called through the bedroom door.

“Come in Dira, I’m decent.” 

Dira entered and nearly dropped the box she was holding. 

The prince was most definitely  _ not  _ decent, though that was no fault of his clothes. The prince stood in nothing but his leather breeches and was - Odin help Dira’s heart - putting on his belt. 

She immediately dropped her eyes, trying to hide her full-face blush by ducking her head. She cleared her throat. “Where would you like it, Prince Loki?” 

Finishing fastening his belt, he looked up, letting a slow smile creep across his face at her blush. “Wherever. It’s for you.”

Dira scurried over to a small table by the wall. She looked back at him with uncertainty before turning pink again and whipping her eyes back down to the box. Loki padded over on bare feet to stand just behind her.

She opened the box to reveal a gown the color of a pine forest at dusk. She glanced back at Loki with wide eyes. Pulling it out of the box revealed swaths of green and black fabric with traces of gold embroidery. 

“Prince Loki, this is…” She gaped at it, then at him, “I can’t accept this.”

“You can, and you will. You’ll need it for the gala tonight.” He turned back around to go fetch his tunic.

“I’m - I-” she sputtered, “Its in three hours!”

Loki twisted around, giving her the most devilish smirk he could muster. “Better get dressed then.”

~*~*~*~

He  _ really _ had to stop giving her pretty dresses. Or, really, he had to stop giving her pretty dresses that she wore around other people. 

She had raced out of his chambers with the dress in tow and came back 2 and a half hours later, looking like nothing less than a princess of Alfheim. He had baely convinced her that _ no, she was not attending the ball to wait on him hand and foot; she was a  _ **_guest._ **

_ ‘I am a servant! I can’t show up at a royal gala!’ _

_ ‘You’re my  _ assistant, _ and I’m a prince. I can do whatever I want.’ _

Now, he was wishing he hadn’t gone through the effort of convincing her to come, and that they had just stayed in his rooms where creepy old men couldn’t stare at her. 

_ Speaking of creepy old men… _

“May I have this dance, milady?” It was Lord Brynjar, a portly, but important, man of the court.

Dira was frozen at his side. But then, a quiet statement. “So quick to forget a face, aren't you, Lord Brynjar?” 

Lord Brynjar’s face paled considerably. Dira firmly grabbed his arm.

“I would like to dance.” She said tartly before dragging him past the lord and out to the dancers.

~*~*~*~

“Odin, dear, calm yourself. You’re going to break your cup.” said Frigga, easing it out of his hand. 

“Our fool of a boy has got himself caught up in yet another mortal.” the Allfather scowled.

Frigga looked off to where Loki was sweeping Dira across the dance floor. He said something to her and she laughed before saying something herself that caused him to smirk and shoot a look off to someone off the dance floor. “A dangerous pair for sure.” she muttered to herself. 

Her other son stepped up next to her, watching where she was looking. “A wonderful girl.” He said simply. 

“A useless waste of time and energy.” came Odin’s gruff reply. 

Thor gave him a quizzical look. “She’s been handling the paperwork for the renovation of the entire east quarter. And she redid the filing system for tax returns.” He turned back to look at the dancing pair. “I think she handles his scheduling now too. He hasn’t been late or unprepared for a meeting in weeks.”

Frigga smiled and took a sip out of her husband’s cup before passing it back to him. “You need this more than I do, dear. You’re going to pop an artery.” 

~*~*~*~

Dira leaned against Loki as they ambled towards his rooms, pleasantly tipsy. They stopped and leaned against the doors for a moment, heads ducked together as if the guards couldn’t hear them.

“Did you  _ see _ Lord Vidar’s face when Lady Eyvor turned him down for a dance?  _ Scandal! _ ” Dira not-so-quietly whispered.

Loki laughed and opened the door, causing Dira to half fall through before catching her in a spin. Pulling her head to his chest he spun her around the room humming a random melody. 

“No no no,” Dira pulled away from him. “It’s bum  _ bum _ bum bum. Not,” she waved at him with a floppy hand, “whatever  _ that _ was.” 

He laughed again and grabbed her gesturing hand, pulling it to his lips and humming the correct melody against it. Color bloomed high on her cheeks. He lowered her hand and pulled her into a waltz again. 

“You looked beautiful tonight, Asfridira.” Loki murmured.

“You look quite radish- ravishing yourself, My Prince.” Dira giggled.

Loki smiled and bent his head, resting his forehead on hers. “Ah! That's a day of bed rest for you, Lady Dira.”

She gasped quite dramatically and pulled away. “Gerdi!”

“Who?” asked Loki, quite disoriented by the change of mood.

“Gerdi! I told her I would bring her dessert in bed if I borrowed her shoes! I hope they haven't thrown it all out! Please, sire, am I dismissed?” She was still holding his hand, squeezing it in her panic. 

He looked down at their intertwined fingers. “Yes.” He watched as hers slipped out of his. “Yes yes. Go feed Gerdi.” 

“Thank you, Prince Loki.” She said, closing the door behind her. 

“I hope you enjoyed the evening.” He said, after the door was shut.

~*~*~*~

“Good morning, Prince Loki.” Dira said, popping her head in the door to the study. 

“Good morning, Dira.” Loki said, putting down his papers. “Was Gerdi disappointed?”

“No, sire. I arrived just in time. ” She replied, “I’ve brought back your dress. Thank you for letting me wear it.”

Loki frowned, steepling his hands under his chin. “How many times do I have to  _ tell _ you this? It is  _ yours. _ ”

“Sire I-”

“ _ I’m  _ certainly not going to wear it.” he scoffed, “even though I  _ could  _ pull it off.”  _ Though I would have much rather pulled it off you.  _ He really needed to get more sleep.

“I have no doubt, prince Loki, but I have nowhere to  _ put  _ it.”

“Ah.” He said, leaning back, “I trust you could find a suitable spot somewhere in here then.”

~*~*~*~

A knock had both Loki and Dira looking up from their papers. 

“Lunch.” Said Loki. 

“I’ll get it. I need to stretch anyway.” Dira said, standing. “Do you need anything else?” 

“A nap?” 

She laughed before slipping out of the room. 

Loki exhaled deeply and stretched his arms over his head, smiling.  _ Not a single ‘Prince’ in the last hour. I wonder if I can get her to just say my name.  _

A loud crash came from the main room, along with a small yelp. Loki lept from the chair and threw open the door to find broken china littering the floor, and a dark red liquid covering Dira and soaking into the floor.

“Your Highness! I beg your forgiveness, the juice- I- ” The other maid stuttered from the doorway.

_ Juice. It’s Juice. _

“Are you alright Dira?” He asked.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine Prince Loki. It was just cold is all.” Dira replied, pulling at her dress. “Poor thing is ruined though.”

“I’ll get you a new one.” He took the tray from the maid. “Find someone to clean up the floor. Don’t worry about replacing the juice.” He led Dira out of the room by the arm.

~*~*~*~

“Please don’t fire her Prince Loki,” Dira said from behind the dressing screen, “It wobbled as she was handing it to me and I knocked it off the tray trying to catch it.”

“She won’t be fired. Accidents happen.” Loki said, leaning against the fireplace.  _ Though there was a time I would have tried to get her executed. I’m going soft. _

“Is this Thor’s?” Dira asked, stepping out from behind the screen in a tunic 4 sizes too big.

“Yes, my brother left it here years ago and I’ve been holding it hostage ever since. Don’t spill juice on that one. It’s his favorite.” 

Dira looked down at the tunic with wide eyes, suddenly very stiff. Loki couldn't help but smile. 

_ I think I’m ok with going soft.  _

~*~*~*~

“Lady Asfridira.”

“Your Highness.” Dira choked.

“Please,” Thor waved, “Prince Thor is just fine.” He hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure of how to go about asking now that he had her attention. “Did my brother give that to you by any chance?”

She blushed furiously, trying her best not to run down the hall wailing in embarrassment. “Yes, Prince Thor. I spilled juice onto my uniform earlier today. I can have it washed and returned to you by tomorrow.”

“Ah. Very good.” Thor smiled his big, happy, people-pleasing smile. “It’s my favorite, you know.”

“I can see why.” Dira replied tightly.

~*~*~*~

“Good morning, Prince Loki.” Dira called cheerfully.

“Good Morning, Di-” Loki stopped short.

“Yes, I know, I look like a common servant, but the dress isn’t done yet and I have nothing else here.” She grumbled, moving into the study. 

All Loki could see was the small, silent girl who stood outside his door with her hands crossed.  _ How things have changed. _

Trying to shake the sudden feeling of running out of time Loki changed the subject. “Where’s my hostage?”

She leveled him with a dirty look. “I ran into your brother on my way back to the servant’s quarters. I gave it back.”

The image of Dira disrobing for his brother was infuriating. “What?” He grit out.

“He caught me in the middle of the hallway! What was I supposed to do, say ‘no, lord of thunder, man made of muscle who could pound me into dust even if he didn’t have a hammer or magic that could do it for him, I think I’m going to give it back to your  _ brother _ to hold it over your head.’ I’m loyal to you Prince Loki, but I value my life.” The ‘ _ what little I have left’  _ hung silently between them.

Dira sunk into the chair next to him. Visions of her slipping into the seat next to him flashed across his mind.  _ In a carriage, at the high table, on the dais in front of all of Asgard.  _

“Prince Loki?” Dira waved a gentle hand in front of his face, eyebrows scrunched and that infuriating little line taunting him. He lifted his thumb and rubbed it away, eyes tracing down her face and landing on her lips. His hand followed, slipping down to cup her cheek, and he felt her shaky inhale. He moved forward slowly, and she didn't stop him. 

He sealed his fate with a kiss. 

~*~*~*~

“Just who I wanted to see.” Odin’s voice echoed around the throne room. 

Loki hid his surprise. He had come to  _ politely  _ ask The Allfather, yet again, to pardon Dira. He would not cut the visit short with his temper. 

“It has come to my attention that a  _ peasant _ has been handling large scale renovations.” Odin turned away from the window to look down on his son. “This is unacceptable.”

“She is my  _ assistant,  _ father, she-”

“No. She is a  _ servant _ hired to scrub your  _ floors _ and bring you your wine. She is nothing more than a glorified -”

“Has she done wrong?” Loki boomed.

The Allfather stared down at him with a fiery eye.

“Have you found fault with her work?” Loki’s voice echoed now.

Odin darkened. “You will fire the girl and hire a proper advisor to finish the project if you do not have the skill to do your own job. Find some respect for your king while you’re looking.” Odin turned back towards the window. 

“Dismissed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a billion to cloudfree for listening to me babble about what's going to happen and then still read the story like she's reading it for the first time.


	4. Someone You Would Reasonably Expect To Do All The Work Does All The Work (With Some Help)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling conclusion to Loki and Dira's story. Will their companionship grow? Or will Dira's name be added to a long list of forgotten past servants?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE DID IT!!!1!!! I'm so happy :) this grew into something so much bigger than the little 2k oneshot I thought I was writing when I started. Thanks for sticking with me y'all. Enjoy!

Dira stared up at him, face unreadable. 

“What?” She said.

“You’re fired.” he replied, standing over her desk, hands glued to his hips in a pose his brother would call a ‘power stance’.

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

She looked down at the papers in front of her. “Should I finish this? I’m only halfway through transcribing and you’ll need it for tomorrow.” 

Loki stared down at her. “You’re oddly calm about this.”

He looked back up at him. “I’ve never been fired before. I think I’m a bit in shock. Is there something you’re supposed to do?”

“Most run out crying.” Loki shrugged.

“I don’t feel much like crying,” she stated simply, “I’m going to finish this and then I’ll be out.” She dipped her head back to the papers, quill already moving.

Loki stared at her awkwardly. He did spring her new job status on her a bit abruptly, but her lack of emotion was unexpected. He had prepared himself for shouting and crying and possibly even a slap across the face. 

“Prince Loki,” she said tentatively, “may I ask… why? Not that I’m questioning your decision, but I wasn’t exactly  _ doing much _ .” Her eyes widened. “Is that it? Have I not been doing enough?”

“No,” Loki held up a hand to stop her before she spiraled into profuse apologies. He had expected emotions, but he certainly didn’t want to deal with them if he didn’t have to. “Not at all. In fact, it was,” He crossed his arms defensively, hesitating. “not quite my decision.”

Her eyes narrowed, readied apologies dropping from her thoughts. “You pushed your father.” She said, the accusing tone of her voice screaming  _ I told you so _ .

Guilt bit him decisively in the ass. “Yes. He has tasked me with finding a  _ proper  _ advisor for the restorations.” 

Dira hissed something to herself that sounded suspiciously like  _ ‘They’re going to ruin my filing!’  _ before throwing down her quill. 

Loki swept a hand through his hair. “Finding someone without your help is going to be a nightmare in itself. There’s a  _ reason  _ I passed the project on to you. I don’t have time for these things.”

“I disobeyed the Allfather once already.” she said, standing. “And as much as I disagree with him…” she cast her eyes to the floor.

“You have little time to waste.” Loki filled in.

She looked back up at him and stepped around the desk. “I find time spent for you is hardly wasted.” 

She reached up and cupped his jaw lightly, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek before slipping through the door - and his fingers.

~*~*~*~

Had he accidentally taken the bifrost to Helheim? Or had Ragnarok finally come, and the end of the world was actually a dull room where he had to interview unqualified, pompous Lords for eternity? Loki dropped his head into his hands. Of all the times over the last excruciating week he had wished for Asfridira to be at his side, now was the most desperate. The door cracked open and his temporary servant of the day poked her head in. 

“Lord Ingolf is here, Your Highness.” 

Loki lifted his head with a quiet groan. “Show him in.” 

As she slipped her head back out the door he had the fleeting thought that he didn’t know her name. He was ok with that.

~*~*~*~

It had been a long day. Loki stumbled into his study holding too many papers and desperately trying to read three of them at the same time. 

“Dira, can you please gra-” Loki stopped short as his voice echoed through the empty room. Something intensely painful clawed at his chest, making his heartbeat loud and his breaths raspy. 

He dropped the papers he was holding unceremoniously, and they scattered around the room. He would have tomorrow's helper pick them up. For now, he grabbed his personal bottle of spirits, half empty from his night with Thor, and put his lips directly to its mouth. 

~*~*~*~

“Brother?” 

Loki was sitting at one end of the great hall table. His only company was a flickering candelabra and two mostly empty bottles of hard asgardian liquor. He was silent. 

Thor sat himself across the table, but Loki kept his eyes downcast. 

“This is not your usual demeanor.” Thor said. Loki remained silent. Thor picked up one of the bottles and sloshed around what little was left of the contents. “I am familiar with what ails you.”

Loki dragged his eyes up to meet Thor’s. 

Thor lifted the bottle to his lips, draining the last of it. “She was better than most.” 

~*~*~*~

Loki was back in the meeting room, sorting through resumes while he waited for his next applicant to arrive. 

_ Who includes home renovation as job experience? _

A knock came at the door. “Yes?” Loki answered, letting his irritation bleed into his voice. 

Today’s servant peeked his head in the door. “Lady Annvieg is going to be late, Your Highness.”

Loki narrowed his eyes. “Tell her not to come.” he growled.

~*~*~*~

Dira tested apples at a busy market stand, looking around at the various other produce for something to snack on. 

Earlier in the day she had been mulling around in the empty room she had rented begging for respite from the heavy thoughts that rattled around her head for the last week. Finding another job immediately was no concern - her salary had by no means been small during the number of years she had worked in the castle, and while she was working for Loki it had only grown exponentially. The day she looked at her financial statements, she balked - it seemed he had given her a raise every chance he possibly could. 

Her main concern now though, was her father. On her own, legally, she couldn’t become emancipated without his permission, meaning eventually she would have to return home. While she was in the castle, her father was far away and out of mind. Now though, she had already received three letters from him. The only way to escape it was either for him to die - not happening in her lifetime - or for him to no longer be her head of family. 

Usually, the second only came into play during marriages.

Usually. 

Dira, with her newfound wealth, had applied four days ago to become something that someone of her previous social standing could only dream of. 

The letter resting in her pocket was heavier than the two average apples she had picked up. She smiled at the stall owner and tossed over two shiny coins. 

“Looking to practice, Lady Asfridira?” came a deep but familiar voice from behind her. 

Dira’s hand fell to her pocket. Inside the envelope she had already opened was a neat script, congratulating her on her new, official title. It was signed neatly at the bottom with a loopy Thor. 

“Your Highness.” She replied, turning around with a smile. “Please, Dira is just fine.”

He beamed in return. “I think not! I wanted to congratulate you in person.”

Her smile didn’t fade, but her eyes narrowed. “You’re here to talk me into something aren't you.”

Thor’s laugh boomed around the market, startling several birds. “I forget how much alike you and my brother are.”

~*~*~*~

The influx of paperwork to Dira’s house in the following days probably would have overwhelmed a normal Head of House without an assistant, but Dira was slowly coming to terms with the fact that the work she had been doing with Loki was basically the same thing but for the entire east quarter. Setting up the purchase of a nice area of land on the opposite side of the city from her father was easy - she already knew what the assistant would need, and sent the entire package over with her first offer for the property. She also already knew the property was unowned because she had sorted and had Loki sign the papers for it’s sale back to the crown a month ago. There was just one more thing to deal with. 

~*~*~*~

Loki was in his study sorting through resumes like he had been for the last five days when one caught his eye. 

Right at the bottom of the paper, under an absolutely massive list of applicable skills and work experience, sat one name under the “references” section. 

Thor.

~*~*~*~

Loki couldn’t sit still. It had been nearly two weeks since he had seen her last, and in that time, she had apparently not only gotten an official title as a Lady of her own house, but had purchased a property, invested in multiple favorable endeavors, and gotten his brother to sign off on her as a favorable woman. It hit him just then that Thor was probably the one to sign off on her appointment as a Lady. He would have to thank him later. For now, he sat patiently in the little room that he hated and waited for his only interview of the day. 

A light tap on the door had him sitting up straight. “Yes?” He called, forcing the waver out of his voice.

His temporary servant stepped in. He still had yet to find one that had lasted longer than a day. “Your Highness. The Lady Asfridira has arrived early.”

“Show her in.” He said.

The servant stepped out, closing the door. It re opened a moment later, and in stepped a Dira Loki almost didn’t recognize. 

She wore a dress of deep green in the latest fashion, and had her hair done in a perfect updo. Jewelry lined her arms and throat, and makeup made her face sharp and elegant. Loki stood.

They stared at each other for a moment. 

“Hello.” Dira tried.

Loki realized his mouth was slightly open then and closed it, only to open it again. “Hello.” he replied. 

“Are you ok?” He could tell she was trying not to laugh now.

He tried very hard not to act like a fish out of water. “You look very nice.” He settled on. 

She looked down at herself as though she had forgotten what she was wearing. “Oh! Yes. I have an appointment after this.” She smiled looking back up at him. 

His face fell slightly. He wasn't sure what he expected entirely, but he mentally hit himself for not remembering that she was a  _ Lady _ now, and Ladies had things they needed to do. “Of course.” he said, sitting back down. “Have a seat.”

It wasn’t so much that she frowned, but that she stopped smiling. She took the seat opposite him. 

The questions were eating away at him. So much had changed in just two weeks. “Lets begin.” He said, looking down at his interview questionnaire. He knew the answers to all of them already, and none of them were the ones he actually wanted to ask. He pushed the sheet aside and looked up at her. “With who?” He asked.

“What?” 

“Who is your next appointment with?” 

Her smile returned. “The king.” She smirked.

Loki’s eyes widened. He was to attend a ceremony after he saw her. He couldn’t remember what it was for and his servant of the day hadn’t written it down. But if it was for her, the Head of a new House…

He reached tentatively across the table for her hand and she met him halfway. 

~*~*~*~

Hod looked up from his book when loud laughter and cheers came from inside the small interview room. He had the strange feeling today was going to be interesting. He dismissed it, and went back to his book.

~*~*~*~

Hod desperately wished to be back outside the interview room with his book. Instead, he was standing to the side of the throne room, slightly to the left of the Queen’s gaggle of ladies. The tension of the room was palpable. 

Odin looked like he was about to pop, sitting on his throne with a face darker than his younger son’s hair. Frigga stood beside him, looking much like the cat that ate the canary. Thor was below them, beaming, goofy smile on display. Loki, for once, seemed genuinely happy to be in the presence of his father. 

The most terrifying thing though, to Hod, was his old coworker Dira, now apparently a Lady, who was staring down the Allfather like she had won a very large bet. Hod shrunk against the wall as the staring match continued, convinced he was about to witness a murder. 

Suddenly, the door burst open, a flushed and out of breath woman power walking in holding something close to her chest. Odin broke first.

“So sorry I’m late!” She called to the rest of the attendees. 

“Idun,” Frigga called to her, “How are you?”

Idun reached the dais, bowing to the royal family. “Busy as always!” She told Frigga, though she was smiling. She turned to Dira. “Hello.” she said kindly. 

Dira curtsied. “Hello, Lady Idun.”

Idun passed her whatever she had been holding. Hod realized it must be one of the sacred apples and inhaled audibly. This was a much more important ceremony than he had realized. One of Frigga’s ladies elbowed him to be quiet. 

Idun turned to face the royal family and spoke quickly. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to celebrate the acceptance of Asfridira as a Lady and head of house and to offer her a position in the immortal court of Odin Allfather. Are there any objections?”

Frigga placed a hand on Odin’s shoulder. It did not look gentle. 

Idun turned back to Dira. “You may now eat of the golden apple. Congratulations, your ladyship.” she bowed slightly. 

Dira smiled, and took the biggest bite of the apple she could.

~*~*~*~

Thor dropped himself in the seat across from Dira, still beaming. Frigga had ordered a small feast in honor of not only the founding of a new house and its Lady, but also to celebrate the renewal of the east quarter renovations that were set to resume now that Dira was back in charge. Odin turned the color of wine, and had yet to show up to the celebration. Thor, Loki, Sif, the warriors three, and everyone else in the castle was plenty of company for Dira though. 

“You made quite a few friends during your time here Lady Dira.” Thor said.

“I was a bit in between two worlds. Wearing a servant's dress to council meetings means both groups are forced to talk to you.” she laughed. 

Loki slid into the seat to her right. He had a cup of something dark in his hand. “You got me a drink!” She smiled, slipping it out of his fingers. “Thank you, Prince Loki.”

His protests died in his throat. He would never admit how much he truly missed her. 

Thor’s smile grew a bit wider, and he winked at Dira before standing back up and shuffling back into the crowd. She nearly choked on the drink. “What was that for?” She called out after him. She barely heard his laughter thunder over the noise in the room. 

She looked over at Loki, who was already looking at her. “Would you like to dance?” He asked. 

~*~*~*~

Loki hummed as he pulled her around the main room of his chambers. Twirling her into his arms, he rubbed his nose against hers. “ _ Lady _ Asfridira.” He whispered. She giggled and bumped her forehead against his. 

“A shame.” he declared suddenly, pulling back only to lay his head atop hers, leading into another musicless waltz. 

“What is?” She murmured against his chest.

“Your new house.” he sighed.

She pulled back abruptly. “What?”

Loki looked down at her face, flushed with wine and righteous defense. “All that work just for it to come back under the crown soon.” he hummed.

Dira let go of his hands then. “What are you talking about?” she demanded.

Loki grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his chest. “Where else would it go when you become a princess?” he purred.

A sharp slap hit him in the chest. “Don’t you ever do that again!” she cried, but her smile betrayed her. 

Loki laughed, pulling her in close and cupping her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m going to hide all your quills for that.” She threatened. “And move all the furniture an inch to the left.” 

He chuckled and pulled her in for the kiss he had wanted to steal since she took her first bite of the apple. 

When they both pulled back for air Loki let out a huff of a laugh. “You know,” he said, “Thor asked me about nieces and nephews earlier.”

Dira just laughed and pulled him down for another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A final thank you to cloudfree for putting up with my wacky writing schedule. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Blesses to Cloudfree, my beta reader. <3


End file.
